'It's All Gone by Too Fast': Arnold Palmer on His Legacy

In the history of golf, only a few names really matter. Like, change-the-game, tell-your-grandchildren-about matter. Tiger. Jack. And, ah yes, perhaps the most beloved golfer of all time, Arnie. In the off chance you've never set foot on a tee box or been lectured by your grandfather on the good old days, that's Arnold Palmer. Seven major championships. An army of fans. A handsome swagger still present at age 84. The key to millions of golf fans' hearts. What better time than now, we thought, than on the occasion of this weekend's annual Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club — not to mention this Sunday's premiere of Arnie, a three-part documentary series on Golf Channel that looks back on Palmer's life — to pluck some wisdom and reflection from the elder golfer's brain.

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ESQUIRE.COM: Does your life seem surreal when watching it back on a documentary?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, it takes me back. And of course brings back some memories that I've kind of lost track of. And it's very sentimental to me. I get the feeling that it's all gone by too fast.

ESQ: Does a golfer get more patient about the game with age... or just learn to accept the fact that it's always going to be a frustrating sport?

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AP: [Laughs] It's a great game, to start with. And the fact that I've been in it as long as I have, I suppose I can say that are certain frustrating things about it. But in the long run it's one of the greatest things that's ever happened. Understanding and being able to accept all the things that you do and that surround the game of golf is pretty fantastic.

ESQ: Could you have handled the in-your-face celebrity coverage of today? Your immense popularity in your heyday feels similar to that of Tiger Woods.

AP: Well I certainly think there were some similarities. I also think nowadays there are more restrictions on what people can do from the outside. The fact that they are after you all the time is not bad. It's not a bad thing. And you learn to understand it and be able to deal with it in a, oh I suppose, a manner that is less intimidating than it might seem.

ESQ: So you eventually come to grips with the fact that every little thing you do will be scrutinized?

AP: You do. And you get used to people and the aggressiveness. I think the thing that you have to understand is they really just want to know you or be able to touch you or be able to talk to you. And if you accommodate, you usually can get away with it pretty well and they get on with their lives.

ESQ: What's a valuable lesson you've learned in recent years?

AP: One thing that I'm fairly acceptable of and understand is if you try to avoid questions or people that are trying to be really nice to you, it would cause you more stress and strain than being accommodating. So if you're more accommodating it becomes easier.

ESQ: When people think of Arnold Palmer, do you hope they think of the golfer or the man?

AP: First of all, I'm flattered by the fact that people want to talk to me or shake hands with me or get an autograph. I feel flattered that they want that. And I try to do all I can to accommodate.